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My final photography project 💕

For my final project I chose to pay homage to Sally Mann. She is known for her low contrast black and white photos of her husband and children. Out of all the photographers I felt like I connected most with her. I’m married with two little girls, and I love taking photos of my family, so I felt that this was the perfect choice for me. I really enjoyed this project because it got me to pay special attention to the little moments that I may not necessarily think to photograph—like my daughters playing together, my husband doing yard work, my 2yr old playing with rocks or drawing on the chalkboard at her dance class. I will say that some of Sally Mann’s photos might have a little more dramatic or serious effect, so that is where I may have fallen short in really capturing her style, but all in all I think paid homage to her well.

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I chose the poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou.  This poem is one of my favorite poems, and is very powerful.  While you can interpret the poem a few different ways I chose to interpret it as a celebration of women, and to show how women have overcome and risen up.  The poem also has to do with slavery, so as to not take away from the true meaning of the poem I took a photo of the story of Sojourner Truth from my daughters book about incredible women in history.  Over the past two weeks I took many photos, and uploaded them each day in no special order to show the celebration of women.  Some of those photos are in the final 10, and some are ones that I haven’t already posted.  I chose to use a photo for each verse of the poem, so these photos are in that particular order.  I loved doing this project because not only am I always thinking of ways that things relate to poetry and music, but I love being able to capture people in their natural element and expose their true beauty.  I especially loved celebrating all these women, and giving focus to things that they don’t necessarily give much focus to– their intelligence, beauty, creativity, work ethic, determination, nurturing spirit, spunkiness and ferocity.  Now for the poem:

You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries? Does my haughtiness offend you? Don’t you take it awful hard ’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines Diggin’ in my own backyard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.

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Nice little run on Forbidden Drive was just the trick to put the babies to sleep ❤️

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📸: taken by me using my Nikon D5600

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“A child, more than anyone else, is a spontaneous observer of nature" - Maria Montessori.

📸: taken by me with a Nikon D5600

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A photo I took of the creek along Forbidden Drive. I love water photos ❤️

📸: taken by me with a Nikon D5600

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The Valley Green Inn

📷: taken by me with a Nikon D5600

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Nice weather calls for walks along Forbidden Drive

📷: taken by me with a Nikon D5600

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Feeling like spring 💐